Our story - a year on from 'failure'
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Our story - a year on from 'failure'
Just logging in for the first time in a year... not that I haven't been around, I have....just lurking, never posting. I never got round to congratulating those who now go to grammar following a successful appeal. Way to go! Congratulations!
I really do wish everyone the best of luck for tomorrow. For some, the news will result in much jubilation, but for others.... just despair like it was for me last year. For me, it wasn't particularly straight away, but a couple of days afterward when I literally just crashed out with the emotion.
I've come out the other side of it all now and I just wanted to let people know that things can turn out OK in the end. I was really 'down' for quite some time, sometimes having to make excuses for my red puffy eyes. Perhaps they knew really, I don't know. Sometimes it really 'hurt' ; finding out others who had passed who were no more 'clever' than my own son; the trip to the school outfitters (yes!); the 'twist' in the sort of 'pecking order' at work and so on.
My son is now reaching the end of his first half-term at his new school - the local comp. I now realise that there is another sort of 'bubble' in addition to the bubble of academic achievement. I know I'm a bit slow on the up-take and it didn't matter how many times I was told, I actually had to believe it for myself.... This bubble encompasses happiness, self-esteem and confidence. DS has plenty of all of those things for which I am truly thankful. He is his own person..... and that's grand. He is, according to his form tutor, making excellent progress, made it to top maths, has wowed teachers and kids with his knowledge of different subjects and is very happy to be seen as a geek! He would have had none of that in the bottom half of a grammar.
What will be, will be. Be proud of your children. Take care. x
I really do wish everyone the best of luck for tomorrow. For some, the news will result in much jubilation, but for others.... just despair like it was for me last year. For me, it wasn't particularly straight away, but a couple of days afterward when I literally just crashed out with the emotion.
I've come out the other side of it all now and I just wanted to let people know that things can turn out OK in the end. I was really 'down' for quite some time, sometimes having to make excuses for my red puffy eyes. Perhaps they knew really, I don't know. Sometimes it really 'hurt' ; finding out others who had passed who were no more 'clever' than my own son; the trip to the school outfitters (yes!); the 'twist' in the sort of 'pecking order' at work and so on.
My son is now reaching the end of his first half-term at his new school - the local comp. I now realise that there is another sort of 'bubble' in addition to the bubble of academic achievement. I know I'm a bit slow on the up-take and it didn't matter how many times I was told, I actually had to believe it for myself.... This bubble encompasses happiness, self-esteem and confidence. DS has plenty of all of those things for which I am truly thankful. He is his own person..... and that's grand. He is, according to his form tutor, making excellent progress, made it to top maths, has wowed teachers and kids with his knowledge of different subjects and is very happy to be seen as a geek! He would have had none of that in the bottom half of a grammar.
What will be, will be. Be proud of your children. Take care. x
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- Posts: 89
- Joined: Wed Oct 22, 2008 11:31 pm
- Location: North West Kent
Lovely to hear - I have the same feelings of sadness when I look at my son number 2 in his special school uniform and think he is never going to be in mainstream like his brother. Remember all, that if your child is bright they will I promise generally do well regardless of the secondary school they go to, if they are keen and eager to achieve they will. If they are very bright but lazy they will do a lot worse.
One year on ..
Thank you Mum 007, that was such a nice post to read and gives me hope.
The post from Mum007 should be compulsory reading for anyone joining this forum. Education isn't just about academic achievement, I know plenty of unhappy people with degrees! Think about emotional and social development, confidence, self esteem and don't just focus on exam results.
Well done and bravo. My son is waiting for his own 11+ results today but whether he passes or not is almost immaterial as I know he did his best and that's really what counts.
Well done and bravo. My son is waiting for his own 11+ results today but whether he passes or not is almost immaterial as I know he did his best and that's really what counts.
Spot on! Great post.Nimrod wrote:The post from Mum007 should be compulsory reading for anyone joining this forum. Education isn't just about academic achievement, I know plenty of unhappy people with degrees! Think about emotional and social development, confidence, self esteem and don't just focus on exam results.
Well done and bravo. My son is waiting for his own 11+ results today but whether he passes or not is almost immaterial as I know he did his best and that's really what counts.